in order of decreasing size

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in order of decreasing size" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to compare things in terms of size or importance, and to indicate that they are arranged from largest to smallest. For example: "The states were ranked according to population size, in order of decreasing size."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

The small bodies, roughly in order of decreasing size, are the asteroids, or minor planets; comets, including Kuiper belt, Centaur, and Oort cloud objects; meteoroids; and interplanetary dust particles.

Britannica

The small bodies, roughly in order of decreasing size, are the asteroids, or minor planets; comets, including Kuiper belt and Oort cloud objects; meteoroids (see meteor and meteoroid); and interplanetary dust particles.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In order of decreasing size, the components of a surface system are the main collection ditch, field ditch, and field drain; and for a subsurface system, main, submain, and lateral conduits from the submain.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Fractions containing samples are eluted sequentially in order of decreasing size; the EV-containing fraction can be collected and analyzed.

Micro and Nano Systems Letters

A statistical analysis of urban heat production estimates is summarised in the box whisker plot of Fig. 11 with the results arranged in order of decreasing size of area.

Geothermal Energy

Toast them in a dry skillet until they're just aromatic -- you can put them all in a single pan, but stagger the additions starting with the larger spices and adding the others in order of decreasing size so they toast evenly.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

This method is in contrast to the historic approach of naming chromosomes in order of decreasing physical size.

Heredity

Mitotic metaphases were processed in Adobe Photoshop CS3 program, and the chromosomes were measured using Image J. Karyotypes were arranged in order of decreasing chromosome size [ 59].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Specimens of the different Nothosaurus species are described in order of decreasing stratigraphic age and increasing body size, since Nothosaurus intrarelationships are insufficiently resolved [ 16] to serve as an ordering criterion.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Enumerate work items in order of decreasing priority.

University of California, Berkeley

Jobs are assigned to users in order of decreasing priority.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "in order of decreasing size", ensure the context clearly defines what "size" refers to (e.g., weight, volume, population) to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "in order of decreasing size" always implies a linear progression. The intervals between sizes might not be uniform; some decreases could be more significant than others.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in order of decreasing size" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, adjective, or noun. It indicates the manner in which something is arranged or organized, specifically from the largest to the smallest. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

53%

Encyclopedias

15%

News & Media

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in order of decreasing size" serves as a directive for arrangement, indicating that items should be organized from largest to smallest. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically sound and suitable for various contexts, especially scientific and formal settings. While not extremely common, this phrase provides a clear and structured approach to presenting information. Consider using alternatives such as "arranged from largest to smallest" or "sorted by descending size" for variety. Remember to specify what "size" refers to, to avoid ambiguity. When writing, be aware that the intervals between sizes might not be uniform. It is a useful tool for imparting structured information in a clear manner.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

arranged from largest to smallest

This alternative directly describes the arrangement process focusing on size.

sorted by descending size

Using "descending" emphasizes the direction of the size order.

in descending order of magnitude

Replaces "size" with "magnitude" to broaden the context to other numerical values.

ranked by decreasing dimensions

Uses "dimensions" instead of "size" to refer more generally to spatial extent.

ordered from biggest to smallest

This alternative utilizes more informal language.

listing items from largest to least

Focuses on the action of listing, highlighting the extremes.

categorized by reducing size

Emphasizes the categorization aspect based on the reduction in size.

graded according to diminishing size

Uses "graded" to imply a more structured ranking based on size reduction.

sequenced from bulkier to tinier

Uses "sequenced" to imply order, utilizing less common synonyms for size.

presented in a diminishing scale

Changes the structure to emphasize the presentation on a scale.

FAQs

How can I use "in order of decreasing size" in a sentence?

You can use "in order of decreasing size" to describe how items are arranged, such as: "The planets are listed "in order of decreasing size" from Jupiter to Mercury."

What are some alternatives to "in order of decreasing size"?

Alternatives include phrases like "arranged from largest to smallest", "sorted by descending size", or "ranked by decreasing dimensions" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in order of decreasing size"?

Yes, "in order of decreasing size" is grammatically correct and commonly used to describe an arrangement from largest to smallest.

What does "in order of decreasing size" mean?

It means items are arranged or listed starting with the largest and proceeding to the smallest.